FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — In a press release on Wednesday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that there were 477 new cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky and that the state's COVID-19 case total is at least 20,677.
Gov. Beshear emphasized that the rising case numbers show the need for everyone to wear a face covering in public or in close quarters with non-immediate family members, as required by his mandate.
“It shows you how critical this facial covering requirement is,” Beshear said. “And we have to end the silliness. Challenges to this mean the loss of lives and could send us the way of Arizona or Florida, and we don’t want that.”
Gov. Beshear also reported 10 new deaths Wednesday, raising the total to 645 Kentuckians lost to the virus.
The deaths reported Wednesday include a 73-year-old man and a 94-year-old woman from Casey County, a 90-year-old woman and a 96-year-old man from Fayette County, a 67-year-old man from Hardin County, two men, ages 70 and 73, and a 67-year-old woman from Jefferson County, an 88-year-old man from Laurel County and a 71-year-old woman from Logan County.
“We care about each other. We have risen to the challenge of this virus before and we’re ready to do it again,” Gov. Beshear said. “So I need everybody’s best. Remember: Everybody’s counting on you. Their life, it may well be in your hands.”
As of Wednesday, there have been at least 498,179 coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky. The positivity rate currently stands at 4.62%. At least 5,475 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
For additional information, including up-to-date lists of positive cases and deaths, as well as breakdowns of coronavirus infections by county, race and ethnicity, click here.
